


Tell the World I'm Coming Home

by dlodle0



Series: All You Need is Faith, Trust and Coffee [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dlodle0/pseuds/dlodle0
Summary: He gave a soft hum to let her know he had heard her before going to pour them each a drink. “A toast.”“To what?”“You movin in. Bishop seeming happier. Faith. Take your pick.”Jack swirled the liquid in her cup before speaking. “To the happiest years of my life.”
Relationships: Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres, Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Series: All You Need is Faith, Trust and Coffee [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1783498
Comments: 7
Kudos: 91





	Tell the World I'm Coming Home

Jack woke up around seven when the alarm across the bed started going off. “This is the last Saturday I’m getting up early for the next six months.” She grumbled to Gibbs as she rubbed her eyes. He leaned over to turn off the alarm before wrapping his arm back around her waist.

“Don’t complain to me. It was your idea to invite the kids to breakfast.” He murmured against her shoulder before he started to get up.

“As a thank you for helping me move.” She countered as she closed her eyes again, sleep threatening to pull her back under, but she gave a lazy smile at the thought. They really were like a family, she was almost asleep comforted by the thought when the blanket on top of her was yanked off. She sat up quickly glaring at the chuckling man across the room. “All right. All right. I’m getting up.”

It wasn’t long before they were on their way to the diner to meet Ellie and Nick. The news played quietly as they drove and Jack glanced behind them in the mirror. The couple behind them was kissing, the blonde smiling widely into it. She smiled to herself and then did a double take as they pulled apart. She would know that smile anywhere. Ellie. She watched as Nick and Ellie kissed again before the light turned green.

"What ya smilin at?" Gibbs' voice interrupted her thoughts of the young couple. She watched the Jeep pull in behind them and shook her head. 

"Oh nothing, just happy." She met him at the back of the truck, smile widening when he took her hand for a moment, giving it a light squeeze in agreement. She caught Elie’s eye from across the parking lot and they waved to each other. The four met the door and Ellie blushed lightly when Nick held it open for her.

Throughout breakfast, Jack noticed that Ellie seemed happier than she had in months. More than once she saw both of their hands disappear under the table. She smirked into her coffee as she made conversation with both of them about the upcoming holidays. With Thanksgiving at the end of the following month, Jack was hoping to convince Gibbs to host dinner at their house. 

“Ah come on. When was the last time we had a team holiday?” She asked as Gibbs shook his head. She almost had him, she could see it in the way he kept his coffee cup to his lips, hiding his smile. 

She winked across the table and Ellie caught her eye quickly joining in. “Please Gibbs? The last time we all had Thanksgiving was with Clay.” Her eyes took on a clouded look of pain and he reached across to squeeze her hand. 

“All right. All right. You win.” As if there had ever been any chance of them not. He glanced back at Jack, “Probably should invite Faith and Mike, make it a real family holiday.” 

Ellie already had her phone out, fingers flying across the screen. “I’ll let everyone know. I assume we’ll do a potluck like always?” 

Jack and Gibbs shared a look and he nodded. “Sure. Just tell Palmer if he shows up with a turducken, he’s not gettin let in.” Their waitress brought over their food, “Now come on. Eat. We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

XXXX

“You drop that, Nick, she'll have your ass.” 

Nick did his best to look around the large canvas he had been handed as he headed out of Jack’s apartment. "Yes sir." 

Ellie met him at the doorway, promising Jack she would make sure Nick didn’t do any damage to it as she took the other side to help him. 

Jack chuckled softly from the doorway as she watched the scene between the two younger agents. They had never had much distance between them but today they seemed even closer. Not wanting to draw too much attention to them, she headed back into the apartment. 

Most of it was packed and other than her clothes all of her things fit into a few large boxes which were stacked in the living room. Gibbs grabbed one of the boxes and glanced over at her, one hand on her hip and the other pressed to her chest. “Jack, you all right?”

She smiled at his concern and looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m okay.” She promised and he headed out. 

Ellie came back in and watched Jack for a moment before coming up beside her, “Does it feel weird knowing you’ll never be back here?”

She shook her head in response, letting her hand drop from her chest. “Not at all. I’m barely here as it is. It’s about time I stop paying for it.” Her eyes danced with joy but narrowed as she looked back at Ellie. Ellie tilted her head catching the look.

“Jack, what?”

“Not tonight because I know he’s going to want to spend time together but why don’t we go out tomorrow for brunch?”

“Yeah! I’ll text Kasie and let her know.”

“No.” Jack’s hand darted out to stop her from pulling out her phone. “No, just us. We’ll meet up with Kasie on Friday like always.”

# Ellie’s brow furrowed and she lowered her phone, sliding it back into her pocket. “Jack…” She started quietly. Before she could say much more, Nick came back in and Jack shook her head, quickly and effectively cutting off the conversation.

XXXX

A few hours later, Jack had just finished hanging her canvas on the wall above his couch- their couch now, she thought with a smile. She jumped when Ellie came up beside her. “Did you take that picture?”

“I did.” Her voice was filled with pride but also a quiet sort of longing. She didn’t look away from the picture of Sunset Cliffs. “I stopped on my way to the airport the morning I flew out. The sun had just come up. Everything was so peaceful and it felt like a sign that I was making the right decision.” She looked out the window to where Gibbs and Nick were grabbing the last two boxes. 

“Do you ever miss it? Living in San Diego? The beach life?”

Jack laughed softly, turning back to the picture. "Ellie, I miss it all the time-." She admitted. She heard Gibbs call out to Nick and stopped to listen.

"Torres! Would you stop flexing and get the damn box? Come on."

She laughed again, shaking her head. "But I wouldn't trade this for anything." She started unpacking the box that was labeled living room. It was mostly books that she added to a bookshelf in the corner of the room. Ellie ran her hands over the dark wood.

“Is this new?” She didn’t remember seeing it the last time she had been over.

“Sure is.” Gibbs set down the box he was carrying. “Made it last week.”

“You made this?”

“Well don’t sound so surprised Bishop. I don’t just build boats.”

Jack laughed, bumping her hip against Bishop’s. “It helps that I said please.” She moved back across the room to the box she had been unpacking and grabbed a throw blanket out and held it up for Gibbs approval. “Thoughts?”

“It’s a blanket.”

“Yes thank you.” She pursed her lips as she responded sarcastically. “Can I put it out?”

“Jack.” He turned away from Ellie so he could hold her gaze. “You can do whatever you want. You want to redecorate? Turn that wish of being a decorator into something you do in this life?” He gestured around. “Go ahead.”

Jack was beaming, the blanket in her hands all but forgotten. “As much as I appreciate that, Cowboy. I love your house-”

“Our house.” He interrupted her to correct her and she laid the blanket on the back of the couch.

“Our house.” She echoed softly. “I love our house. It’s retro chic.” She saw the light in his eyes as he remembered their first conversation, held feet from where they were standing now. “It’s very in right now.”

“I didn’t know it went out.”

Ellie kept quiet as she pretended to look at the books Jack had unpacked. She moved her head just enough so she could see them and grinned at the softness between them. She wondered for a moment how without even touching they could seem so happily in love. She looked out the window, catching Nick’s eyes as he finished closing up Gibbs' truck. He nodded at his jeep, a silent question and she nodded before slipping out, unnoticed by Jack or Gibbs.

XXXX

The next morning, Jack slept in to make up for getting up early the day before. When she woke up his side of the bed was already cold. She stretched letting herself ease into the day before she got up to get dressed. She tugged on a black shirt dress she had left out during the move and buttoned it up. As she walked down the stairs, she rolled the sleeves up. She walked into the kitchen and Gibbs frowned when he saw her.

“Something the matter Cowboy?”

“Just forgot you were going out with Bishop. That’s all.” His frown turned into a light smile as she hummed, leaning up to kiss him. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it.”

After a few more quick kisses, Jack pulled away, shoving him gently. “Hey. I don’t want to be late.” She cupped his face, gently running her thumb over his cheek. “I love you.”

He kissed her again, “Go. I’ll see you later.”

Jack and Ellie had decided on a place in the National Harbor to meet at. It took Jack less than 20 minutes to get there and when she arrived Elie was already seated outside. Jack waved and went over to join her.

“I ordered us mimosas.” Ellie nodded at the drink as Jack sat. She gave Ellie a smile as she took a sip. 

“Oh. Thank you.”

“Are you okay?” Ellie didn’t waste any time voicing her concern. “Did something happen with Faith? Is the baby okay? Oh God- Is Gibbs okay?”

“Woah. Woah Ellie!” Jack set down the glass in her hand to reach across to touch her arm. “Everything is fine. Faith is fine. The baby is fine. Gibbs is fine. Why do you ask?”

“I mean we were together yesterday and then you ask me to come out with you today, without Gibbs and then I tried to invite Kasie and you said no. I thought something was wrong.”

“Oh honey.” Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “No. I’m sorry I worried you. In fact, it’s the exact opposite.”

Ellie leaned over the table conspiratorially, head slightly leaning to the left. “Okay…. Then what is it?”

“Yesterday, on our way to breakfast I saw something in the mirror.” Jack did her best to keep her smirk down as she teased. 

“Okay and... “ Ellie trailed off, waiting for her to continue. When Jack just looked at her, a smirk growing, she knew what the older woman was referring to. Her face instantly flushed and she choked on the drink she had been taking. “J-Jack.”

Jack leaned over to gently tap on Ellie’s back. “Hey. Breathe.”

“Oh my gosh how did I not know that was you guys in front of us? How much did you see?” Ellie was a flood of anxious questions when she finally stopped coughing. Her head sunk into her hands, “Oh no. Did Gibbs see?” 

“Well we all know love is blind.” She gave the younger woman’s arm a gentle squeeze “No, Gibbs didn’t see and I didn’t tell him but, to answer your other question I saw enough.” Jack hid her smile behind her glass as she took another drink of her mimosa, waiting for Ellie to calm down. 

“I’m gonna kill Nick.” Ellie groaned, dropping her face back into her hands before looking up again. “This is not how we wanted you to find out.”

“Yeah I kinda guessed that. So, how long have you two been a thing?” She moved her glass now so that Ellie could see her wide smile and she watched as relief flowed through her and her own smile started.

“A month. I uh was telling him and McGee about your kiss in the bullpen- I’m sorry I was just so excited and then he ended up taking me home and...” She was blushing furiously now. “Stuff happened and then I- I told him that I love him.”

“Ellie!” This time her name was exclaimed with pure joy. “Well it’s about time! God, you’ve been dancing around it even longer than we have! Oh! Remind me to call Abby to collect on our bet!”

“Jack!”

“Oh come on, like you guys didn’t have one for us.” She gave Ellie a knowing look and when she didn’t answer Jack nodded. “That’s what I thought.” She squeezed her arm again, “I’m happy for you. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Gibbs. I don’t want to let him down.” The confession was quiet, taking on a different tone and she looked away again.

“Let him down? Ellie you couldn’t if you tried. He is so proud of you, even if he doesn’t say it. Why would you think you’re letting him down?”

“He has rules for a reason, Jack.” 

“He does and do you know what the most important one of all is?”

“I think it depends on the situation and who you ask.”

Jack shook her head, “Rule 51. Sometimes you’re wrong.” Their food arrived and Jack gave her another calming smile. “Try to keep it quiet for now but,” She was smirking again, “I’ll talk to him.”

  
  


XXXX

When Jack got back from brunch with Bishop, Gibbs was in the basement. He smiled when he saw her coming down the stairs. “How was brunch?” He said the last word with a pretend tone of disgust and Jack laughed. 

“It was good. Just what I needed.” She kissed his cheek and went to sit on the stool by the desk. A cream envelope with fancy writing caught her eye and she held it up to him, “What’s this?”   
  


“Came in while you were gone. It’s from Faith so I saved it for you to open.” He wiped his hands off on his jeans before offering her his knife. “Here.”

“Thank you.” She took it and sliced the envelope open, remembering the last time she had received something like this from Faith. Unlike last time, she wasn’t nervous at all as she pulled out the thick paper. “It’s a save the date! It’s after the baby is due. June 26th 2021” She exclaimed, running her hands over the pictures of Faith and Mike laughing and smiling before handing it over so he could get a better look.

“You’ll come with me, won’t you?” As long as she had known him, Gibbs had avoided any parties at the office, denied invites to multiple team get togethers and it could sometimes be hard to get him to agree to even one on ones with members of their team though most of that had seemed to ease off when they got together. “Well?”

He was staring at her in slight antoishiment. “Course I’m coming with ya. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“You mean that?”

“I do.” 

The words had her blushing slightly though the dim light in the basement helped her to conceal it. “Thank you.” She pressed her lips to his cheek. “For everything.”

He gave a soft hum to let her know he had heard her before going to pour them each a drink. “A toast.”

“To what?”

“You movin in. Bishop seeming happier. Faith. Take your pick.”

Jack swirled the liquid in her cup before speaking. “To the happiest years of my life.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I know this didn't have a ton of Faith in it but same timeline!
> 
> As always you can find me on tumblr and instagram at we-take-care-of-each-others


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